


Crown Jewel

by curiumKingyo



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Torture, alien!Hux, creature!Hux, protective kylo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 12:57:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7052707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiumKingyo/pseuds/curiumKingyo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kylo Ren usually leaves all diplomatic matters on General Hux's hands but when the redhead receives an invitation to negotiate an alliance with the King of a small planet, the Knight feels something is wrong. His suspicion proves right when they are poisoned and Hux is tortured until his skin breaks, revealing a hidden treasure underneath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was a lucky bitch and the incredibly talented and lovely [Pixie Punch](https://pixiepunch.tumblr.com/) decided to honor my story with their art. I put it on the second chapter because the scene it illustrates is there but [here](http://i.imgur.com/VTdknW5.jpg) follows the link if you can't wait (I know you can't...)

General Hux is not human. Kylo Ren is fairly sure of that. The point is, the Force ripples and reacts around everything and humans have a very distinguished effect on it. And whenever Ren uses the Force near the General the reverberation is remarkably not human. Nevermind the fact that the redhead looks nothing like any other sentient life form, at least none known to the Knight. 

He is not a robot, Ren is sure of it. Robots and droids have a specific vibration on the Force, one he could recognize anywhere what with being raised surrounded by the walking trash his family called droids. Not a very realistic bot, but definitely not a human. 

What a riddle. 

Yet despite his curiosity Kylo Ren doesn't waste too much time thinking about it. He has better things to worry about. 

Once or twice he tried to slip into Hux's consciousness but found it oddly impervious to his assault. Odd but not unexpected given that strong minds are harder to break and regardless of how much Ren despised his co-commander there is no point in denying the strength of Hux's mind. 

Being a Force user gives him a wide perception of the universe around him and in his constant journey deeper into the Dark Side he's became used to mystery. Not everything is to be understood. If you don't shroud your secrets and keep your truth in the shadows then they can be used against you. Knowing everything can be a liaison as much as an advantage and Kylo Ren decides to just let General Hux be. 

Despite what Hux might say on the matter, Ren actually does his best to stay out of the General's business. He doesn't go to counsel meetings unless specifically told so, he spends his little free time meditating on his own room or in a secluded observation deck. He even prefers to have his meals alone at odd hours just to avoid being on the mess hall with Hux and his staff. 

Their relationship fluctuates the tides and waves of how well they and their underlings are performing. Successful missions and victories against Resistance forces make them bearable, even agreeable, to the other. On the other hand, every drawback on the First Order's plans bring them very close to self-destruction. 

The day starts uneventfully on board the Finalizer. Kylo Ren wakes earlier than most crew members to make use of one of the training rooms by himself. The Knight has an intense regimen of exercises and battle simulations and it was Leader Snoke's condition to let him leave his Citadel that Kylo kept his training routine regardless of location. 

Ren practices with his lightsaber for hours, perfecting his form and honing his body to battle. When the noise of the crew starts to fill in he is ready to go. A small group of Stormtroopers is waiting to use the room when he leaves the place. 

Finished his physical training, Kylo retreats to a cramped storage room to meditate. The small space full of craters and boxes makes most people claustrophobic but for the Knight it feels grounding. The heat of his body dissipates in wisps of fog as his breath slowly reaches the adequate rhythm and he falls into a shallow meditative state. 

His back is ramrod straight against the plastic craters, the helmet is a familiar weight on the cradle of his crossed legs. Slowly he opens his mind, allowing his perception to widen in waves each engulfing more of his surroundings than the previous. 

He is in tune with every passenger on the ship when he reaches a deeper trance. He feels the still sleeping night shift crew members and the bustling stream of thoughts and impressions on those awake. Every human, droid and clone resonate with him in a way he can study carefully and put aside once fully understood. 

And then there is General Hux. Usually Ren prefers to leave his co-commander aside in his morning meditations but today something calls the Knight to the General. That odd presence in the Force, not human not anything Kylo could identify. If feels like a drop of cold water in boiling oil. Hux's presence fizzles and hisses in an otherwise calm surface and today it is like a beacon calling for Ren. 

Rarely does he feel such strong pull and he knows better than to ignore it. Leaving his meditative state takes a while and when he eventually retreats his consciousness into his own body Kylo stands slowly, glad to have the comfort of the crowded space. He feels queasy. He dresses up efficiently and leaves the room with his helmet tightly shut over his face. 

At the bridge General Hux is being notified of an incoming message from King Lauerr from planet Haamb Rgo in a nearby region. The planet is not particularly big but the location is good and despite the current decrepit state it had been a potency not so long ago. 

Ren stands quietly in the background as Hux has the communication official opening the frequency to the King. An uncharacteristic chill runs over the Knight's spine when the monarch shows up on the screen. The man has watery eyes, a weak jaw line and the overall appearance of a coward and not at all what one expects from a king. His beard is faulty and his clothes are high quality but visibly old, the patches of copper colored leather lining his sleeves and colar cracking for lack of proper care. He wears a crown of a crystalline material hard to identify on video. Ren sneers. 

"General Hux," he greets, over enthusiastic, "it is such a pleasure to have you and your mighty ship on our region. A pleasure but also an opportunity if you allow me the honor of your presence on my home." 

With a raised eyebrow Hux replies, his voice not betraying his distaste. "You honor us, Your Majesty. And what opportunity are we dealing with here?" 

"I am well aware that my planet has little to offer resource wise but my orbit covers several point of interests for the First Order," despite his weak appearance the king speaks with authoritative ease. "I am very interested in an alliance, General. Neither me nor my army have the strength to defend our people should you or the Resistance ever decide to claim us by force so I decided to take this first step and offer a mutually beneficial deal." 

Ren doesn't like the way the man speaks, he has just admitted he is vulnerable to attacks but still sounds like he has the upper hand. This and those watery eyes cause a bad impression on the Knight. 

"It is a generous offer but why would I chose a treaty when you affirm an offensive would be well succeeded?" Hux questions, tilting his head elegantly. "It is true Haamb Rgo has a good strategic position but it is not vital, at least not for the time being. You'll have to make it a little more interesting in order to set this deal now and avoid future annexation." 

The king smiles widely for a split second but quickly reins in and displays a more controlled face. "Please General, accept my hospitality and come negotiate with me. I'm certain we can reach an agreement that will make us both satisfied." 

"And certainly said hospitality is extended to a party of my men," Hux inquiries thoughtfully. 

"Absolutely, General," King Lauerr says, tilting his head and crossing his fingers under his chin. Each of his fingers is adorned with a ring of woven coppery metal and topped with oddly shaped pearls. "Please, bring your best men with you. They'll enjoy the shore leave." 

Hux frowns slightly. "This won't be a leave, Your Majesty." 

The King smiles, condescending. "It will feel like, General. Please, come at eight on my local time and I'll make sure you'll enjoy the best dinner of your life while we discuss business." Usually a First Order official would require some time to contact superior authority before agreeing with such a meeting but being a General, Hux has the clearance to go on this kind of audition by himself without the need of authorization. The General nods shortly. 

"So it will be, Your Majesty. By eight a shuttle with me and a party of twelve of my best men will land." 

"Delightful!" 

"Until the evening, Your Majesty." 

The screen goes black and uneasiness rises like bile on Kylo Ren's throat. He watches as the General picks up a datapad and starts choosing which troopers to bring down to surface with him. The redhead debates whether bringing Captain Phasma or not but ultimately decides to leave her on board should he need quick and efficient reinforcements. He is about to send the orders when Ren finally steps closer to him. 

"I'll go down with you," the Knight says darkly. 

"Excuse me?" Hux doesn't even lower his datapad, a raised eyebrow all the reaction Ren's interference earned from him. 

"I will go down to Haamb Rgo with you and your party." 

"I hardly think this is necessary, Ren," says Hux, but he puts his screen down nonetheless. "I won't sign any treaty yet, you have nothing to worry about." 

Under his mask Kylo Ren licks his lips in uncharacteristic nervousness. He remembers how strongly he felt the need to be by Hux's side that morning, he can't believe the Force wanted him just to see that conversation. He is going to be needed down on the surface and he knows it. 

"I can't have you negotiating by yourself," he insists. "Supreme Leader trusts me and I know his plans better than you. It would be unwise to ignore my input in this matter." 

Hux rolls his eyes forcefully but brings his pad up and changes a name on his list. "You better prove this input to be valuable Ren, otherwise I'm just leaving one of my men stranded here for naught." 

Ren doesn't express any reactions on the outside but the pressure on his guts ease immediately as his own datapad chimes with the convocation to the landing party. He nods stiffly and leaves the General as he keeps making the arrangements to the meeting with King Lauerr. A briefing meeting is scheduled for 0600 hours, and the shuttle is set to leave at 0700 so Kylo has a few hours to meditate and search for answers within the Force before leaving. 

His meditation brings no further enlightenment as his mind keeps going back to General Hux. As he tries harder and harder to focus on his own feelings and sail his way through the Force looking for answers the more he keeps finding Hux and his odd presence. The General is a fixed, pulsing point in Ren's mind eye and after hours of frustration the Knight gives up on meditation and goes back to the training room. 

Just before 0600 he goes back to his quarters and showers properly, debating if he should attend the meeting with the King maskless or hidden by his helmet. Covering his face gives him more freedom to look and search as he wishes, while also concealing his young features and responsive face. On the other hand, deciding to go without his mask serves as the best kind of disguise he could use. Nobody except Supreme Leader knows his face so King Lauerr would assume him to be just a regular First Order official and potentially lower his guard. 

Deciding that the element of surprise would be a better option, Ren dones his only set of standard First Order uniforms, similar to Hux's own except that it lacked the hat and overcoat. He puts his mask on for the briefing meeting since he doesn't want the Stormtroopers and other minor officials to know his face. As he walks down the corridor to the meeting room he comes to terms with the fact that General Hux will see his face for the first time that night. 

Captain Phasma and Lieutenant Mitaka are present at the meeting since they are responsible for the ship in Hux's absence and their main support for this diplomatic mission. All of the selected Stormtroopers are present and seated stiffly when Ren enters the room. All of them stand and salute him briefly and Lt. Mitaka looks at him with a puzzled expression but says nothing. 

At 0600 sharp General Hux enters the room. The officers once again stand and salute but this time they wait for the General's dismiss to sit down. Hux looks at Ren for a long while, a calculating expression on his face, at last he seems to relax. 

"Good decision, Ren," he says before sitting down and turning the holo projector on. 

The briefing is detailed but succinct, most of the talk being done by Hux with occasional inputs from either Phasma or Mitaka. The mission is rather simple: to land on King Lauerr's palace on top of the Capitol's plateau, guard the ship while the General and Lord Ren were inside and secure a fast escape route should it be needed. Mitaka would be in constant contact and Phasma had two shuttles ready to go down as a rescuing party should they need it. 

General Hux dismisses everyone at 0650 and urges them to make their last preparations for the departure. Hux goes straight to the shuttle that would take them down and checks on the coordinates and smaller flying details while listening to his datapad reciting bits of history and politics of Haamb Rgo that could prove important for the negotiations. Kylo Ren follows him in silence, trying to absorb some last minute knowledge about their host. As he watches Hux he learns that barely 30 years before one of Haamb Rgo's moons exploded, being if not the only at least the main reason for their decreasing power. 

"I believe you've chosen a code name for you tonight, Ren?" Hux asks when he finally turns around to face Kylo. "Disguising yourself as a First Order officer will only work if you behave like one, I hope you're up to the challenge." 

Ren nods curtly, gloved hands adjusting the hems of his fitting jacket. This is so constricting, he almost misses the ragged comfort of his usual robes. Hux is still staring at him and Kylo realizes he hadn't answered the General's question. 

"Call me Ben," he says out of instinct. Hux raises an amused eyebrow. 

"Not very creative," Hux comments, typing something on his pad, "but I appreciate the practicality, Lieutenant Ben." 

Once more Ren is glad to have his face hidden. That was the worst choice of the night, he admits, nothing worse than bringing this kind of thing back into view. But by now he couldn't back away and takes little solace in the fact that he'll probably be addressed as Lieutenant most of the time. 

Soon after the Stormtroopers arrive and take their places on the shuttle. Hux and Ren take seats in the cabin and the General plots their course to the landing pad at King Lauerr's palace. Sitting besides Hux in the uncomfortable co-pilot seat, Ren feels his lightsaber digging into his lower back, strapped at his waist in contrast to its usual place on the Knight's hip. He can't let the weapon be seen but going down without it is simply unthinkable. 

It takes them around fifty minutes to reach Haamb Rgo's atmosphere and they are met with torrential rain and strong winds. The weather makes landing a bit more complicated than foreseen and Hux has to take manual control of the shuttle instead of letting it to the automatic pilot. When they finally turn the shuttle off Hux turns to the battalion of Stormtroopers and gestures with his head assigning them their positions without words. 

The shuttle door opens with an ominous hissing sound and the lights from the palace spill inside the ship. When the door is completely open another sound echoes in the landing pad and a retractile cover opens over them, sheltering the First Order arriving party and the waiting group of King Lauerr's servants. Hux takes a look at the cover and motions for one of the troopers with his pinky and ring finger extended – Kylo doesn't need to know their code to understand that getting rid of that covering is fundamental to ensure their escape route. 

Silence flutters around for a beat before the Stormtroopers disembark. They march in perfect timing and stop in two lines along the boarding plank, blasters on open holsters, hands ready to draw. Hux looks at Ren and motions for the Knight's head. 

Ren nods slowly, bringing his hands up to his helmet and releasing it. There is a sharp hiss and a soft click before the younger man removes the heavy mask from his face. He lowers it slowly, still coming to terms with the fact that Hux was going to know his face in just a few seconds. He looks down to place the helmet on a bench and takes a deep breath before looking up at Hux. 

Hux isn't sure what he was expecting to dwell under Ren's mask but most certainly it wasn't that oddly proportioned but completely human and painfully young face. Ren's skin is just as pale as Hux's own and mottled with spots and freckles, his eyebrows are set in a dignified angle that doesn't fit his temper. A mane of black hair is tied down in three rows of braids on the top of his head – probably to keep it away from his face while wearing the helmet. 

The General never meant to stare but that's what he does. For quite a while. He tries and almost fails to place that quaint face on the image he has of Kylo Ren. How could someone with such soulful eyes be so incredibly full of rage and destructive tendencies? 

Ren allows the staring for a while, sustaining Hux's eyes with the quiet civility he rarely remembers to be in possession of. 

"Shouldn't we leave?" Ren asks mildly at last. Hux has the dignity of not shaking his head when Ren speaks despite being taken by surprise by the unfiltered sound of the Knight's voice. The General nods and straightens his jacket before leading Ren to the boarding plank. 

Their steps echo in the half closed landing pad and the roar of the rain outside is dulled by the thick walls. The corridor connecting the landing pad to the palace is well lit and tall, decorated with mosaics depicting the solar system in which Haamb Rgo is located. The black tiles seem to be stained glass but the red and yellow planets and stars seem to be made of colored pieces of the same odd metal that composes the King's crown. 

A group of five servants is waiting for the General and his staff. Despite the rain, the temperature inside the palace is amenable so the small committee is dressed in elaborated but light gowns. They seem to be two women and three men but they all have long hair and slight frames, their hands and bare feet adorned with woven copper and their lips painted with bronze colored lipstick. 

"Welcome, General Hux," one of the women says as they approach. There is an odd admiration on her voice. "Forgive me my impertinence but you are even more stunning in person." 

Ren has to hold back the urge to laugh. Or roll his eyes. Or any kind of reaction, really, because its been years since he last attended a diplomatic meeting but he can't remember a time where his mother was greeted in such a way. Hux doesn't react though, he smiles unaffectedly and makes a small bow as way of greeting. 

"Thank you for your hospitality," he says politely. 

"You are most welcomed," she repeats and finally looks at Ren. "Who is your guest?" 

"Lieutenant Ben, my right hand man," Hux says confidently. The woman nods and smiles. 

"Welcome, Lieutenant." Ren just bows respectfully but doesn't speak in return. She doesn't seem to mind. "I imagine you are tired of the travel so I took the liberty to bring refreshments and some sweet water for you to wash your face and hands before entering the King's halls." 

"That would be appreciated, yes," Hux agrees and the other woman and the men step forward with trays that had been hidden until that point. One of the men holds a tray of thin, tall glasses made of that crystalline metal alloy Hux can't identify, the other fills them with a dark green beverage that smells really earthy and bitter. 

The second woman has a deep bowl of pink colored water and a fluffy towel on the crook of her arm. Hux takes his gloves off and washes his hands on the scented water, bringing some on cupped hands to splash on his face, careful not to upset his hair. He takes the towel and dries off with gentle pats before thanking her and picking one of the glasses. 

As his hands touch the glass an odd feeling runs down his spine. His years of diplomatic training set some alarm inside him that doesn't sound like anything had before. People have tried to kill, poison and capture him before and in all those times he could sense their hidden intentions. He brings the glass closer to his face and studies the impeccable surface, polished to a shine. The cup seems old but perfectly preserved – a relic of Haamb Rgo's shinning era. 

"You have a keen eye, General," the woman says with a smile. "It isn't surprising though, given your position. This cup is a hundred years old and it has been used in numerous diplomatic meetings; officials from all delegations and parties drank from it. Imperial officers did as well." 

As they talk the second woman approaches Kylo with the bowl and he follows Hux's example, washing his hands and face carefully before taking one of the glasses for himself. Despite its metallic look the cup is oddly warm and very light on his hands. Not surprising at all that it had caught Hux's attention. 

"What metal is this?" Ren can't help but ask. 

"It is a rare material that was once our pride and source of income," she explains. "Unfortunately, about thirty years ago all the reserves were lost in a tragic accident." She doesn't elaborate more and Hux makes a short signal for Kylo not to pursue the topic. 

"It is beautiful," the General says and takes a sip from it. The liquid inside is thick and refreshing, minty but overwhelmingly earthy. Not bad per se but far from pleasing. The woman smiles and dismisses her companions who quickly disappear down the corridor. 

She leads them at a leisure pace, making polite small talk about their life aboard a Star Destroyer, their opinions on this or that piece of technology, whether they wanted to settle on a planet one day. The whole walk down corridors and halls is tedious for Hux and annoying for Ren. Being by Hux's side appeases Ren's nerves a little but every once in a while he tries and fails to understand that strong feeling that brought him there. 

The woman does most of the talking and Ren tries to use her distraction to touch her mind but is unable to go much deeper than the usual blur of sensory input and daily routines. She seems amazed to be in Hux's presence and Ren finds that more annoying than anything else. As he skims the surface of her mind he hears some part of her waxing poetics about the General's skin and hair, his beautiful eyes and perfect teeth. 

After a while her mind turns simply inhospitable for him and he slips out of her consciousness with a low sigh. 

Fortunately they are arriving at the main hall where the King is waiting for them. The throne room is decorated with the same murals as the corridor and the tall windows are protected by heavy shades that keep the storm away. It is clear in the detailed but old decoration that the planet had gone through a glorious moment but is now declining. The King himself is the definition of this. 

King Lauerr was once robust and large but now he has shrunk to a thin figure with flaps and folds of skin on his arms and neck. His faulty beard has been shaved revealing more of the weak line of his jaw, his hair is pulled back with pomade and the crown sits perfectly aligned over his brow. 

"General! Please be welcomed to my home!" Lauerr stands from the throne and opens his arms invitingly. His clothes are the same as before, beautiful but shabby. The embroidery on the lapels is fraying and the leather details dry and opaque. His figure is overall undignified despite his royal status. 

"It’s a pleasure to be here, Your Majesty," Hux greets with a bow and Ren follows closely. "The welcoming committee was delightful may I add." 

Lauerr smiles crookedly and puts his hands together, making his numerous rings clink softly. The metal of the rings is not the same as the cup but neither Hux nor Ren seem to identify it either. The King walks down the shallow steps of the throne dais and stops in front of Hux. 

"I took the liberty to have a meal prepared for us," he says, gesturing to a side corridor that led to a dining room. "You and your assistant are welcomed to my table tonight." 

Ren purses his lips at being called Hux's assistant but quickly reins his temper and merely nods in reply. The King and Hux go ahead, leaving Kylo following behind. The Knight walks in a slow pace, allowing the distance between them to grow as he assesses the surroundings with the Force. 

The Palace is oddly devoid of thoughts and impressions on the Force. Kylo is used to reach thousands of people on his daily meditation on the Finalizer, Stormtroopers and Officials alike; but here he can barely feel the presence of their battalion just outside the Palace. The King, just like the woman who has received them, has a tricky mindset full of quotidian minutiae and diplomatic procedures for Ren to really dig into it. The more the Knight tries the more tangled in superficial thoughts he gets. 

When Ren enters the room Hux is waiting for him by the King's side. Ren apologizes for his tardiness and waits for Lauerr to seat and show them their own places. The table is heavy, made of dark wood and embedded with oddly shaped pearls and metallic patterns that resemble flowers. 

The King's chair is at the head of the table, taller than the others and more opulent. The upholstery is of the same copper-colored leather that adorns the King's robes and the flowery pattern is embroidered on the chair with black thread. 

Lauerr offers Hux the chair right in front of him and the one besides that to Ren. There are large shallow dishes set on the table, cloth napkins folded prettily over them. The silverware is, unsurprisingly, made of the crystalline metal of the King's crown and each piece is adorned with a small green gem. 

Once they are all seated, the King gestures and a small group of servants enter the room carrying trays and pots. The smell of food is heavy, thick with spices neither Hux nor Ren recognize. The servants stop behind the King. 

Two of them step ahead and bring tall cups and spicy wine to the guests. King Lauerr is the last to be served and he raises his glass in a toast. 

"Lets celebrate this unique opportunity of having you here, General," he says tilting the glass slightly. "Let it be the beginning of a new glorious era for us." 

Hux and Ren drink politely from their glasses but the King empties half his cup in one single gulp. He smiles and there is a dangerous glint on his eyes. Ren tries to access their host's mind but finds himself unable to project his presence through the Force. He tries to turn to Hux and give some sort of warning but his entire body is out of his control. 

King Lauerr turns his gaze to Ren for a split second and his smile turns even sharper. Satisfied, the monarch turns to Hux once again. 

"So, General, what did you think of my palace?" 

"It still holds the grandiose of your past, Your Highness," Hux replies, unaware of Ren's distress. "I'm curious though about this odd material I keep seeing in your appliances and decoration. It seems that even you and your staff are covered in unknown metals and pearls." 

"You have a keen eye, General," Lauerr says smirking. "Or maybe it is not your observation skills that should be commended but rather your survival instincts," he tilts the glass against his lips once more, emptying it and revealing the cup to be a bell. 

Hux frowns deeply and turns slightly to search for Ren. The General's grip on his own cup faltering as he registers Ren's glassy eyes and immovable body. He sees the Knight's chest shifting shallowly, denoting some level of breathing. Other than that Ren is completely petrified by Hux's side. 

"What does it mean, Lauerr?" Hux enquiries ignoring any formality. The King smirks. 

"What do you know about my poor little planet, General?" 

Hux tries to stand but finds his legs weakened. "I'm not repeating myself, what does it mean?" 

King Lauerr laughs and gestures for his servants who join him in cackling laughter. Hot rage boils in Hux's stomach as he tries to devise a plan. His situation is as bad as can be, unable to contact his team outside, let alone his crew in orbit. Even his closest asset, Kylo Ren, has been taken from him. 

"You are intelligent General, by now you are aware that you're at my mercy," his fingers glide over the wet rim of the cup turned bell. "So don't worsen your situation and, please, humor me. What do you know about my planet?" 

A nerve pulses under Hux's eye as he speaks. "This hellhole of a planet was once rich and prosperous, especially due to warfare and raw material exportation. Something happened thirty years ago and sent you into a spiral of decadence and ruin - and now I can't find it in myself to feel sorry for you." 

Lauerr snorts. "Oh, you shouldn't feel sorry at all, you should feel guilty my dear General." 

"Guilty?" Hux echoes with a tilted eyebrow. 

"Yes, since you are the responsible of my ruin." 

"I believe you have spent too long drinking wine and daydreaming about your past. You have lost your mind," sneers the General. "I've never been to this part of the galaxy before and thirty years ago I was barely a toddler, incapable of bringing such misfortune for you." 

"Yeah, I believe I have expressed myself poorly. You are not the responsible, sure, but you're still the reason," Lauerr amends. "Did you find any information about Luaas in your research about Haamb Rgo?" 

Thrown back by the sudden change on the topic Hux frowns slightly. "Luaas? It was mentioned that it was some natural resource and influenced greatly on the wealth of this planet but nothing more was said." 

The King laughs bitterly. "Oh yes, beautiful natural resource they were." 

Nausea settles in Hux's stomach when the king says they, instead of it. His skin, where he is still touching the odd materials of the dinning ware tingles unpleasantly, like a thousand ants had taken residence on his bones. 

"Lauerr, I'll ask one more time," Hux forces himself to look composed and in control, "what is this about?" 

King Lauerr shakes his finger like he's scolding a child, his head follows the movement making the flap of loose skin on his chin tremble. "Such impatience! General Hux you should understand the importance of context in this kind of conversation." 

Hux grits his teeth and looks at Kylo Ren who is still immovable by his side. There is glassy horror on Ren's eyes, a bead of sweat running down his temple as he fights some big inner battle to free himself from whatever Lauerr had done. 

"General please, keep your focus here," the King admonishes. "Once you understand the importance of the Luaas on my culture you'll understand why this is happening to you." 

The General painfully turns his eyes back to the monarch who is now beckoning one of the servants and picking small pieces of meat from their tray. Blood and fat flow from the undercooked meat, tracing a greasy line down the king's arm. 

"Do you know why our second moon was destroyed thirty years ago?" Lauerr asks, stuffing bits of meat on his mouth. Hux spits a no, and the king happily licks his fingers before speaking again. "Well, this is actually the end of the story, let me start from the beginning, alright?" 

The king then picks another glass and empties it with a sardonic smile. "Luaas were the inhabitants of our second moon and the most amazing thing in the universe. Sentient natural resources, invaluable. Each one worth more than some planet's annual budget. And not only valuable but also stunningly beautiful!" 

Lauerr allows his gaze to slide over every bit of Hux: creased eyebrows and stiff lips, his neatly styled hair and freckled porcelain skin. A sick desire lighting the kings eyes up. 

"A Luaas on their peak is the most beautiful thing, General. And every part of their body is a treasure: skin as shiny as copper but silk light and soft; so resistant you can use it on your clothes or upholstery for centuries and it would still look amazing," his fingers trail the leather lining of his sleeves. 

"Each teeth is a pearl of the highest quality, some people liked to cut theirs round but it is the royal family's tradition to wear ours straight out of a Luaas mouth," Hux's eyes fall over the pearls on the stem of their glasses, on every one of the kings fingers. "But their teeth were something else, not only beautiful but the core is rich on rare minerals used in many industrial processes. You may be familiar with some of the byproducts such as bacta and the cloning gel that nurtures cloned embryos. These have to be synthesized now buy were originally made of natural components." 

Some part of Hux is impressed with this knowledge and more than curious to learn more about that odd race but a much bigger part of his brain is screaming and rebelling. A growing headache blurs his vision and he feels like half formed thoughts or memories are pounding the doors of his consciousness. The nausea grows and he feels the bitter taste of the odd beverage the welcoming committee had given him. 

"Maybe more impressive than the teeth were the bones, though," the King keeps talking, his focus drifting from Hux to the empty space over his head. Lauerr's fingers slowly touch the crystalline crown on his head. "Their bones were harder than diamond after burned in the kiln, before they were soft as wood. Easy to mold and bend, completely transparent. We used them to make lenses for our bigger and most powerful weapons," he makes a shooting gesture with his hand. "That's how we fared so well on war, we had the best materials to make the best weapons." 

The King's crown is indeed clear as glass and detailed with flower patterns that Hux couldn't see earlier on the video feed. It sits lightly over his head, its weight barely disturbing the King's thin hair. 

"But actually, I liked the hair the most! Some had it red, some had it orange or yellow. Some very rare breeds had purplish hair but they were all beautiful," Lauerr twists a strand of his own pale grey hair between his fingers. "A single strand could carry a grown man, and weaved together they created one of the most resistant materials on the galaxy. An armor padded with it could resist a close range blaster shot, and it could be used to create traps to ensnare and behead an inattentive enemy." 

Lauerr places his newly empty cup on the table and softly clink it against the first one. The sound is low and soft, barely above a whisper but it resonates unpleasantly against Hux's ears. The hairs on the General's neck rise almost painfully. By his side Kylo Ren makes an aborted sound and more sweat rolls down the side of his face. 

"Their eyes were also used for making weapons, a tiny precision lens no machine could imitate. Naturally they were also beautiful," once again Lauerr looks down at Hux, hunger in his stare. "Beautiful green eyes, light and shiny. They were very composed, rarely ever showing emotion. But their eyes..." He sighs as if emerged in a pleasant memory. "They wouldn't emit a single sound on the abattoir, but their eyes showed everything – pain, fear, hatred. Some people believed that the expression on their face on the moment of the death determined the quality of their eyes. I particularly agree, the most hateful ones tended to have the clearest eyes." 

Hux's stomach is turning and if it hadn't been empty since the beginning he'd certainly have vomited now. The General clearly isn't averse to the idea of killing but he never sees it as a personal affair. Death is messy and troublesome, Hux takes his enjoyment in removing the obstacles on his way and not in the bloodshed itself. Hearing King Lauerr describe the Luaas death with such passion grates on Hux's baser instincts. 

"It is easy to understand why we valued them so much, isn't it, General? We sold each tiny piece of them for fortunes; each organ could be turned into this or that – weapons, jewelry, a great variety of things," he counts on his fingers with a crooked smile. "Between selling and using them ourselves, one single Luaas could equip an entire battalion. Haamb Rgo royalty has been using Luaas to keep in power for ages. We used them to bargain with those we couldn't face in battle; and to obliterate those we could. You can imagine how problematic losing them was for me, don't you?" 

Hux nods slowly more out of desperation than anything else. King Lauerr seems pleased by Hux's compliance. He licks the tip of his finger and starts to drag it slowly around the rim of the cup, the whistling sound feels like a chainsaw to the General's skull. Hux's eyes water and his teeth clench painfully. 

"Now you must be asking two things, right General?" Lauerr prompts with a cruel smirk. "One being how could we control these things if they were such wonders of nature. And the second regarding your responsibility over the extinction of the Luaas." 

The King throws a meaningful look at Hux who swallows thickly before speaking. "Yes, Your Majesty, I'm really curious." Lauerr looks overjoyed by the General's response. 

"Allow me to answer the second one first, will you? Well, Luaas were native of our second moon and despite being able to live basically anywhere they could only breed there. When sent to other planets their appearance would change and they would look basically human despite retaining their amazing capabilities. Thirty four years ago a baby Luaas was born, the first one of one of the most magnificent Luaas I've ever seen," Lauerr tells this like a bedtime story, full of inflection and facial expressions. His finger never stops singing against the wet rim of his glass. "We rarely named them but that one had a name, it deserved it. Its name was Brendol." 

Whatever color was left on Hux's face drains at this point. 

"It was strong and cunning, it belonged to my father and was a real handful. But most of all it was smart and full of spirit like no other had been before. My mother wanted to cull it but father thought it would be a waste not to have it reproduce before killing it. And so we did." Lauerr stops ringing the glass, deciding to pick some more meat from the tray still close to him. "We found an appropriated female and pumped them with hormones and drugs until they hit heat. The guards said it was the most savage thing they had ever seen. I wasn't there, of course, mother would never allow but I do wish I was. That would lend a poetic symmetry to things, don't you think General? For me to be the witness of the end and the beginning of your life? 

"So after Brendol's offspring was born it changed completely. It is true it had always been a handful but very resigned to its fate like any other Luaas. Well, I guess a son changes any man, right? Soon after the baby was born Brendol hijacked one ship sent to collect some Luaas to culling, and left but not without setting the whole facility to explode. I don't know if its plan was as ambitious as destroying the whole moon but certainly that is what saved it and its little family. The debris and radiation hid the escape route and prevented us to follow. It took our intelligence many years to find it and its offspring but by that point Brendol had joined powerful forces and we couldn't just take it back. It was a most glorious coincidence that brought you right into my hands, dear Brendol Jr." 

The words echo much louder than the ringing of the cup, Hux isn't sure if the images of a blown moon and frantic running are memories or his imagination painting Lauerr's words. The General sees, at the corner of his eye, Kylo Ren simply collapsing over the table, drool, sweat and tears staining his face. 

"What did you do to Ren?" Hux manages to spit out despite the dryness of his throat and turmoil on his head. 

"Oh, you still have a tongue! You took after you father didn't you? But well, your little Force sensitive friend there is suffering the effects of another Luaas trick. Luaas were living beings, with consciousness and feelings but they were also made of metal and crystal and pearls so they resonate really badly with the Force. They were almost unnatural, do you get it? Your friend was poisoned with Luaas blood, it is momentarily cutting him off the Force which can be a strong blow to someone as attuned to it as him." 

Hux turns as much as he can to look at Kylo's passed out form. The braids on the top of his head are messy and bristly with sweat. If it weren't for the slight noise of his breathing Hux would be afraid that he was already dead. 

"Don't worry it will wear off in a few hours or so, just enough for me to kill and process you and use my weapons against your ship. Even after he wakes up he won't be able to manipulate the Force for a few days so don't get your hopes up, he won't be able to save you." 

The King watches as Hux turns back to him, back as straight as he can under the pain and psychological trauma. Under the fear that his life is really about to end. 

"But now to your second pesky question, General. How did we control them? Well, I'm a firm believer that some things are easier to understand through experience than words, so bear with me." 

The King raises his first cup, the one with a clapper inside. He holds it upside down, just like a bell and smiles full of teeth before shaking it. 

Hux had been captured and tortured once when he was young and memories of those days still plague him at night. That was nothing compared to what he feels right now. The sound literally rips at his skin, tearing ribbons of flesh to reveal copper colored limbs underneath. All his senses turn into pain receptors, his skin ripping and sliding wet and warn down his arms and torso, his face splitting around the seams – lips, nostrils and eyes pouring with acrid pinkish blood. The bile rising to his throat spills over cracked lips and the knowledge that the drink from before was made of the blood of those like him makes him want to turn his stomach inside out and scrub it. 

The light blinds him and the smell of blood, bile and sweat invades his nose and brings more acid to his mouth. The edges of his vision turn darker and darker as the ringing intensifies. His uniform is drenched in pink blood and every piece of his skin is raw and exposed, pulsing against the previously pleasant warm air. His eyelids close on their own accord, and he collapses with a wet thud over the table adorned with his ancestor's bones.


	2. Chapter 2

Kylo had always been proud of his senses. Sharp by nature, his connection with the Force made them even more impressive. And yet he didn't see the trap as he and Hux willingly walked into it. He doesn't have excuses, especially since the whole endeavor started with the strongest Force impression he'd ever felt.  

King Lauerr had always been up to no good, Kylo knew that and allowed himself to be lured. Pathetic.  

The moment he drank from the glass offered by the welcome committee was the first step to this dire situation. He now understands why he couldn't connect with the people in Lauerr's palace: the first thing they did was poison him out of the Force.  

And now not only him but particularly General Hux would pay for his stupidity.  

After seating at the table, Kylo grew more and more sick and disoriented as the Luaas blood he'd ingested spread on his body and dragged him away from the Force. The first symptom was dizziness, followed by numb limbs he no longer controlled. In few minutes he was completely paralyzed. And Hux was too occupied being mentally harassed to pay attention to him.  

But despite being frozen and captive inside his own body, Kylo Ren listened to each one of the king's words. And perhaps the most impressive thing that night is that Kylo's rage couldn't surpass the poisoning and free him while king Lauerr told them about the Luaas and the reason he'd brought Hux there.  

Kylo had collapsed but was awake when the king rang the bell that was Hux's undoing. He couldn't see, not with his eyes neither with the Force but he heard it. The screaming and painful pants and groans. Blood curdling and terrifying especially because that was the first time Ren had heard Hux raising his voice in anything but burning passion for their cause. The wet sound of flesh tearing and blood dripping to the floor accompanied each tearful gasp.  

Kylo is no stranger to torture but being unable to do anything while Hux was torn apart was a new kind of suffering. One he couldn't imagine would hurt so badly.   

When Hux finally stops screaming the room gets silent for a moment, and then the king starts to laugh.  

For a moment Kylo is convinced that Hux is dead, no sound coming from him except the still slowly drip drip of blood. The King's laughter echoes in the hall, rings on cups and plates that the Knight knows are made of bones and teeth of an extinct race. Eventually the manic cackling fades into giggling and Ren is finally able to hear Hux's broken, slow breath.  

"Take it to the dungeon, as for the other throw in the cell. I want him to watch as we destroy their ship as payment for using my Luaas," Lauerr instructs his servants and Ren listens as trays and pots are put over the table and people approach Hux and him.  

The chair is pulled away from the table and Ren can't control his own body. He slides over the polished table top and slumps heavily over his own legs when they turn the chair away. Strong arms link under his armpits and haul him up. His long legs drag on the floor as he is carelessly carried down a flight of stairs.  

He may be loose and not controlling his body but he is still conscious so he pays as much attention on the way as he can. He counts the paces down the corridors and steps on the stair. He feels the breeze and listens to as many sounds as he can, drawing a map on his mind hoping it would be enough to bring him back to the exit.  

Right in front of him he hears another person being carried – Hux. For most of the way the General is carried in the same direction as himself but near the end of the way Hux's captors turn right while Kylo is taken left.  

A handful of paces later his captors stop and he hears a key turning in what sounds like an enormous and very thick door.  

Kylo is merely thrown into the room, landing heavily on his still numb arm. The floor is cold and wet and the stale air smells like rust and old sweat. The door closes ominously across the small space and the little light Kylo could perceive from under his lids disappear. For a while he lays there, completely disconnected from reality. His body barely feels like his own, his senses are deprived of stimuli and the comforting sway of the Force living around him can't be felt.  

He loses track of time in that suspended state. Then he hears it again: Hux's screaming.  

The General's voice comes muffled by layers of wood and stone but Kylo can hear it; broken and full of pain and despair as it is. Between each shouted curse and the next Kylo hears the crack of a whip or the rattle of chains. Sometimes Hux's screams become a low litany of curses and cries and in those moments Kylo hears the bell ringing and bringing the General's screams back.  

Unable to reach for the Force Kylo clings to the desperate sounds as a guide back to himself. As long as there are screams Hux would still be alive. Kylo could still save him and fulfill the mission the Force had given him. And once they were back at the Finalizer Kylo would give Hux the honor of dispatching that pitiful planet.  

His lids are the first thing to come back to his control. He opens his eyes with a click and starts looking around, studying his surroundings. Just like he had imagined, the door is very tall but narrow and looks thick and strong. There is no lock on the inside. Aside from the puddle of rainwater dripping from a crack on the wall and Kylo himself there is nothing on the room.  

Slowly the Knight recovers the control over his own body. Head, followed by neck and shoulders. Then each segment of his spine. His arms and legs take the longest and when he sits and wipes the dirty water off his face his fingers and toes are still dormant.  

Hux's screams are getting fainter, most of the attacks from the King earning not much more than breathy hiccups and groans. Kylo grits his teeth and reaches for the lightsaber still attached to his back. The weapon had been carefully attached to a binder that wrapped around his entire waist and fortunately the thickness of the binder had concealed its presence.  

When he finally stands up it is on extremely weakened legs and he is grateful for the moist wall behind him. He leans on it for a long moment, breathing and trying to gather strength. If only he could use the Force...  

The bell rings again and this time Hux's response is tiny, Kylo almost can't hear it and the idea of having Hux killed when he was so close drives the Knight mad. Another crack of a whip, an even smaller groan from the General and Kylo makes up his mind. He may be debilitated but he knows he can't waste anymore time.  

He ignites his lightsaber, its vibrations odd without the familiar vibration of the Force around it. Kylo tests the weightless blade against the cracked wall and is satisfied that he still maneuvers it easily even without the Force. He takes a deep breath, cleans his mind of pain and doubt and weakness and reaches for the steaming ball of rage inside his chest. It is not as strong as he is used to but it works perfectly and he cuts the door clean from it hinges in one single motion.  

The guards jump back when the door suddenly fall between them. One looks inside, head tilted in confusion and Kylo strikes him with a single blow. The head thumps wetly against the floor and the second guard looks up in terror. He is wearing one of those woven tiaras that Kylo believes are made of Luaas hair.  

The man raises his small blaster, hand shaking as his eyes flicker between Kylo and his partner's dead body. The Knight grins when he trespasses the man's heart with his flickering red blade. The guard falls to the floor clutching his chest and gaping uselessly. Kylo would like to stay there and watch him die but he has urgent business to attend to.  

Following the map he had created on his mind he goes up a corridor and turns right. Another guard is stationed on the crossways and Kylo cuts through him without a single thought. Just as the man collapses by Kylo's feet another couple of guards turn down the corridor and witness the scene. The Knight turns to them with dark eyes devoid of pity and remorse.  

One of them steps ahead and pulls a vibro sword while the second fumbles with a communication device. The sparring lasts less than three attacks as Kylo's lightsaber cuts the other man's weapon and neck with clean strikes. The second guard finishes sending a distress call barely a second before Kylo cuts his head off.  

While it is true that Kylo Ren is currently disconnected from the Force he is still a finely trained and powerful fighter. His mind quickly adapts to fighting without the help of the Force and his physical strength is as impressive as ever. When the battalion called by the dead guard arrives, Kylo has entered the perfect mindset – free of worries and drawbacks, focused on slaying his way down those stairs and into General Hux's holding cell.  

Most of the way is a blur on Kylo's memory. His body moves by itself: dodging, sprinting, blocking and striking, all with deadly precision. His First Order regulation boots squeak against the blood and guts spilled on his wake and his hands tremble with barely contained energy when he stands in front of the door to Hux's cell. A river of smoking corpses left on the badly lit corridors.  

                                       

His breath comes out in white clouds, sweat runs down his neck and back. The room is deadly silent behind the door and the silence is what puts him in motion. He lifts the lightsaber until the tip burns a neat circle on the ceiling. With a sharp movement he brings it down slicing a long line down the door, severing the hinges and making it collapse.  

When the door falls the view inside the room brings a new wave of nausea. The smell doesn't help either, burnt flesh and the earthy scent of Luaas blood. The stench of old sweat, blood and bile come from the walls themselves, thickening the morbid atmosphere.  

Kylo steps in imperiously, lit up lightsaber low tracing smoking trails on the wood of the broken door. His expression is hard and unreadable, to the point where his mask would be useless. His gaze falls past King Lauerr and land on the form hanging from shackles attached to the ceiling.  

The king steps between Kylo and Hux, a blaster in hand and a deeply manic glaze on his eyes.  

"I can't believe nobody inspected you for arms," there is foam bubbling at the corner of his mouth. "But I don't care about your fancy sword, Force user. My guards will arrive soon enough and drag your ass away from here."  

Kylo merely steps aside, allowing the king to see the bloodshed on the corridor. Lauerr takes a step back, clutching the blaster tighter on shaky hands. "I don't care! You won't take what is mine!"  

Blue light flashes across the room as the king shoots, Kylo dodges but falls on one knee. Lauerr cackles once more, brings the blaster up and closes one eye to take aim. His smile widens. The Knight waits the perfect moment and dashes forward, quick and deadly. 

 The blast hits the door threshold as King Lauerr falls down, legs severed from his body. Lauerr cowers and curls over the smoking stumps of his legs when Kylo turns to him, but the Knight just kicks the blaster away from the agonizing kings hands.   

Shackled to the wall is the broken form of the most beautiful thing Kylo's ever seen.  

He almost doesn't recognize Hux's features under the cuts and blooming bruise in colors he refuses to call beautiful. His skin is glossy and smooth, in the color of copper, mottled with pinks and oranges and blues. The cuts are irregular, result of whipping and not blades, the skin around them is swollen and deep magenta.  

Hux's hair, usually neat is a mess. Under the grime and blood the strands looks shinier, the color more vivid, closer to the shine of bronze than the familiar orange. One of the General's eyes is bruised to the point of not moving anymore, the other is unfocused, the white streaked with pink and red. The clear green iris is lost among the blown blood vessels.  

Kylo comes closer slowly, afraid of scaring Hux even further. He isn't sure the General recognizes him. Hux lifts his head a tiny fraction and fixes a watery eye on Kylo. The bruised lips move - the shape of Kylo's name but not the sound. Ren smiles shakily.  

As carefully as he can he wraps an arm around Hux's waist and with his lightsaber he cuts the chains holding the General to the wall. Hux's weight falls on Kylo's arm, soft and light. The way his whole body slumps again the Knight breaks Kylo's heart. How does Lauerr dare do this to Hux?  

Tenderly he brushes Hux's filthy hair away from his bruised face. One of the General's eyebrows had been split and when Kylo cups his face he feels one of his teeth is missing as well. "I'm sorry I allowed this to happen to you," he apologizes. "I'll take you home now."  

Kylo ducks slightly to place his other arm under the General's knees. Hux grunts in pain as the Knight picks him up carefully. When they turn around king Lauerr is crawling across the room, leaving a bloody trail as he reaches for the blaster Kylo had kicked away.  

The Knight grits his teeth and holds Hux tighter as he crosses the room in purposeful steps. With a swipe of his long leg he kicks the king far from the blaster and onto his back. Lauerr scrambles but fails to keep himself upright. He slides down the floor, groping blindly at the blood slicked stones. Kylo kicks him on the chin making him fall the rest of the way down.  

"I think you've done enough, your majesty," the Knight says, stepping forward and pressing his heel against the king's chest. Lauerr gasps but says nothing as Kylo retrieves his light saber from his belt.  

Kylo carefully balances Hux over his chest and points the unlit lightsaber to Lauerr. A soft sound calls his attention and he looks down to find Hux weakly pawing at the arm.  

"Do you want the honor, General?" Kylo asks softly. Hux nods.  

Hux's hand slide down Kylo's arm, following the line to his light saber. The General weakly wraps his hand over the unlit handle and Kylo puts his own hand lightly over the Hux's. Together they press the button and hold the hilt as the blade sinks into Lauerr's neck.  

The wet thud of Lauerr's limp body falling back is louder than the soft whimper Hux exhales as he closes his eyes. The simple effort of pressing the lightsaber ignition button takes a lot of energy from the exhausted General. Kylo cradles Hux's body gently, pressing the injured form closer to his own.  

Kylo's mental map proves precise and useful. They don't run into dead ends nor take detours on their way back to the landing pad. Their Stormtroopers are in position, a line securing the path between the corridor and the landing plank. Two are by the command panel, and one is guarding the open end of the landing pad. As soon as Kylo and Hux show up on the corridor the battalion sprints into action.  

The cover is pulled back and one of the troopers assume the pilot chair since Hux is clearly incapable of doing it himself. They take flight quickly, the troopers taking position on the weapons and navigation systems as Kylo sits down on the passenger cabin with Hux still in his arms. One of the troopers brings a datapad and reports the status of their flight; with no Haamb Rgan ships on their pursuit they could use the same coordinates and make it back to the Finalizer in little more than 30 minutes.  

Kylo contacts Mitaka on board the Finalizer and orders him to prepare the medical wing to receive the General. The Lieutenant stammers a bit when he sees the bloodied top of Hux's head but complies to Kylo's orders without question, he also puts Phasma on line and Kylo asks her to start loading all their cannons to their maximum capacity.  

Mitaka is on the hanger when they arrive, a med droid by his side. Kylo strides past them, Hux still clutched against his chest. The Lieutenant follows quickly after them, questioning the events of the surface of the planet and babbling about Hux's appearance. Kylo answers in monosyllables whatever questions he deems valid but doesn't say a word about the General's looks. He is perfectly aware of First Order's eugenistic approach on non-humans and he is certain Hux would prefer to hide his newfound inheritance for as long as he could.  

The walk to the medical wing is not a short one and as they walk Kylo notices the color on Hux's skin going back to its usual pale color instead of the bright copperish tone it had acquired on Haamb Rgo. When he finally lays Hux on the bacta tank the General looks perfectly human again. Battered and bruised almost beyond recognition but human nonetheless. When the smell of bacta fills Kylo's nostrils he can't help but remember the source of one of the original ingredients of the healing substance.  

Kylo would like to have Hux destroying Lauerr's palace but the med droid says the healing process would take a few days and they can't wait – sooner or later the rest of the royal family or servants will find Lauerr's dead body and seek retribution. The Knight whispers an apology as he leaves to the bridge now turned into battle station.  

Phasma is at attention on the bridge and just takes a step aside when Kylo Ren arrives. She has all the weapons loaded and ready, the target's location the only information needed to start the attack. Kylo types in the coordinates to the landing pad down at the back of the Palace and smashes the ignition button with a closed fist.  

Half submerged in the bacta tank Hux can open only one eye but it is enough for him to see the purple and green planet exploding in speckles of bright dust against the black background. All his body hurts and with his tongue he feels a gap between his molars but he can't help but smile at the sight.


	3. Epilogue

Curiously it was Hux who asked him to do this. 

Since their disastrous mission and its bloody aftermath Hux had grown a lot closer to Kylo. At first this seemed to spring from a need of comfort, of having someone know his secret and keep it – and himself – safe. Slowly it turned into actual desire to be around the Knight, whatever fear he once had that Kylo would either read or control his mind was gone with the discovery of his ascendency. This new found safe place by Kylo's side grew in importance with each passing day until Hux couldn't see reason not to take it further. 

The first kiss was Hux's initiative, and so were the second and third, mostly because Kylo was too dumbstruck to react. When Hux was beginning to think it had been a miscalculation on his part, Kylo wrapped long arms around him and kissed him for the fourth, and fifth and sixth time in a quick sequence. First they kissed, then they hugged, then their hands slipped under jackets and tunics and finally their bodies touched fully. Skin on skin and shivers running down their necks from anticipation. 

After months of that slow drift towards one another, that first time is soft and familiar. The intimacy adding to the already formed feeling between them. Learning each other's body is a pleasant task they devote themselves to with hearts full of joy. One year goes by when Hux asks, quietly, about Kylo's impression on his actual appearance. 

"You were stunning," Kylo says, reverently kissing the still visible scars on Hux's wrists. "Thinking of you so weak and wounded breaks my heart but I'd love to see your true form again. I wonder if your skin tastes differently when you're like that, I wish I could have you over me like that once." 

"I don't remember how it was like," Hux admits. "But Laueer painted a pretty picture of it." 

"It was more than pretty. All the treasures I've seen didn't compare to the shine of your skin, the flare of your hair. The color of your eyes." 

Hux shifts on the bed, props up on an elbow and looks down at Kylo with a coy look on his face. "Will you do something for me?" 

"Anything." 

"Find a way to show me my true self," Hux demands softly and Kylo frowns. 

"If I could access your mind through the Force I'd happily show it to you." 

"Alas but you can't," the General says with a slight roll of his eyes. "You could figure something out, no? Do this for me, please. I want to see. I... I too wonder if you'll feel differently under those hands, if my senses will provide me a new experience or if I will feel as good like that as I do like this." 

They stare at each other for a long while, the humming of the ship the only sound on the room. Kylo leans up and kisses Hux's waiting lips. 

"Of course I will find a way." 

And a way he finds. It takes Kylo months to track the ship Hux's family had escaped Haamb Rgo with. And a few more to actually retrieve it from a scrapyard light years away from their current position. The ship is small, meant for planet-to-moon travels but somehow Hux's father managed to pilot it through hyperspace and across half the Galaxy until it finally crash landed on a planet on the Outer Rim. 

With the help of a small army of droids Kylo Ren retrieves a holocube full of information from the ship's mainframe. Most of the information was about the Luaas catering station, abattoir scheduling and inventory of Luaas based material. Most of it makes Kylo cringe and thank the Dark Side that he was the one to completely wipe that planet from history. He goes through the information for a long while before he finds what he was looking for. 

According to King Laueer, the Luaas would change appearance outside their native habitat and look completely human-like. The deceased king also told them that Luaas were a common gift the royalty gave to their allies and Kylo couldn't believe all of those were slaughtered. Someone would have liked to have one as a slave, pretty and helpless as they were. And so he looked into every page of every file until he found a way of removing the coat of pale skin and dead tissue that formed upon a Luaas' body when in contact with a different atmosphere. 

The process was pretty much like oxidation, the skin releasing dead material to protect the healthy, shiny leather underneath. In the file he found Kylo learns how to wash it away and protect the precious skin from the rude verdigris that steals its beauty. 

Back in the Finalizer he slips into the bridge and slides into Hux's personal space like the shadow the smaller officers continuously compare him to. Hux doesn't move and aside from the rising of the fine hairs on the back of his neck there is no indication that he had noticed Ren's presence. The knight whispers _I found it_ on his ear and leaves. Hux shivers inside his great coat and allows half an hour to pass before leaving the bridge and turning his datapad off. 

He goes straight to his quarters, the usual efficiency in his steps not betraying his nerves. When he arrives the light in the sitting room is off and for a second he wonders if Kylo would have gone somewhere else. He is about to call when he notices the light coming from the en-suite bathroom and the soft sound of running water. Kylo had told him about his wish to use Hux's bathtub once but it seemed a rather strange moment to chose to do so. 

Hux leaves his coat, hat and gloves on the main room and moves to the refresher room with undisguised hurry. Kylo is kneeling by the tub, tunic, cowl, helmet and gloves gone. He looks like a painting, leaning over the water, touching it with careful fingertips. His reflection stares back placidly. He looks up at Hux and smiles tenderly as he tests the temperature of the water. 

"It was rather specific," he says without further context. 

"What was?" Hux enquiries. The general turns around to hook his heel on the boot jack by the door. With a practiced movement he removes the first boot and shifts to take the second off as well. 

"The water temperature. The file I found mentioned it a handful of times, I figure it must be very important," he frowns and takes his hand off the water. Carefully he picks his lightsaber and turns it on, sinking the flickering blade into the water and watching it bubble and fizzle. Mist begins to roll and cover the surface of the tub. 

"So, there is a way of preserving a Luaas appearance outside Haamb Rgo," Hux finally speaks and Kylo nods with a smile. 

"First we need to wash the layer of oxided skin, then we protect the body with oil so  the oxygen in excess doesn't damage it anymore." 

"It seems like you've became an expert in Luaas care," Hux rises an eyebrow but can't hide his excitement. Barefooted he comes closer to the tub from which Kylo is finally removing his lightsaber. 

"I have the best interests of one in mind by doing so," Kylo replies with a grin. He stands up and kisses Hux gingerly. 

"What do I need to do?" Hux asks, looking down at the tub. 

"Get rid of those clothes and come to the water with me." 

"Isn't it dangerous?" Kylo can't tell if Hux is asking because he is worries for Kylo or himself. The method has been created not to hurt the Luaas and all ingredients were safe and relatively easy to find. Powdered minerals from one place, the sap from this and that trees, a special sponge. Nothing too onerous or suspicious. 

Kylo stands up and retrieves a round glass recipient from his tunic and dumps its contents in the tub. A fine blueish powder covers the still surface of the water before dissolving into thick foam, not quite bubbly but dense and soft purple in color. The smell is vaguely briny. After a while he adds a generous drip of a honey-colored liquid, it breaks the foam in swirly patterns following the movement of Kylo's wrist. The foam turns whiter after its addition but the smell remains the same. 

"Come on, you must soak in it for some time," Kylo says, turning to Hux with clear excitement in his eyes. He steps closer to the general and kisses him sweetly, wet hands working on the clasps and buttons on Hux's uniform. 

They undress with practiced intimacy, stealing glances and kisses until they are both bare. Kylo kisses him fully on the lips and walks backwards into the tub, gently guiding Hux in by his scarred wrists. The water is a little hotter than Hux's preference but Kylo had been insistent about the temperature. His skin prickled slightly when breaching the foamy surface, like the little sugary pops he loved but so rarely got when he was a kid. 

Kylo brings them both to the center of the tub and slowly nudges Hux until the General's back is pressed against the Knight's chest. In a practiced move they sink together, Hux fitting between Kylo's spread legs, head falling to his broad shoulders. 

"How did you find this?" Hux asks eventually. 

"I found your father's ship," Kylo explains, holding water on his cupped palms and dripping it on Hux's hair. "It belonged to the Luaas catering facility, the hard drive was full of information about the care and harvest of them. It also had a schedule... you were supposed to have a sibling." 

Hux grunts a little at the information but says nothing. It seems easier to accept his new identity from this point of his life on than to try and fit it into every other moment he lived. For all that matters, this is just about his appearance, about satisfying his and Ren's curiosity and lust and possibly forgetting it for a long while. Probably forever. 

They stop talking, Ren keeps dripping water on Hux's hair watching as the red mass turns darker as it absorbs the liquid. So far it doesn't look different from any other time Hux got wet, his skin is slightly pinkish from the heat but otherwise it doesn't seem to be having any effect of the oxidized skin. The file he'd found wasn't very specific on the time needed to achieve the results they wanted, the time spent off-planet was an important factor on the process and Hux had spent basically his whole life out of Haamb Rgo. It could take a while... 

Ren picks the heavy sea sponge and soaks it in the briny water, making sure to gather lots of foam on it. Gently he takes Hux's arm and extends it before running the sponge on his moist skin. Hux groans, a little pleasure, a little something else. Ren nudges the back of his head in a silent question and the General nods lazily. The Knight scrubs the long, pale arm with utmost care, running the wet sponge on every plane and crevice, laving attention to the marked wrist and bony elbow. 

He gathers more of the foam and continues his ministrations. After a moment of silent care he notices flakes of pale skin dissolving under his touch. He doesn't comment but his heartbeat picks up and he feels warmth rising to his cheeks. Hux doesn't seem to notice, too relaxed under Kylo's soft attention to be aware of pretty much anything. Kylo is glad to see that the process is actually painless, otherwise Hux would have complained. 

Kylo leaves the sponge aside and submerges Hux's arm in the tub once again. He massages the General's shoulders and neck with his own hands and is more than happy to see the layer of human-like skin evaporate under his fingertips. The shine of Hux's skin is even more beautiful than he remembers. He gets the sponge once again and treats the second arm with the same care and attention he did to the first. Hux makes a deep, contented noise. 

"Look at your arms," Ren says at last, hands gently catching and lifting Hux's elbows. The General allows the movement but doesn't particularly help it. Kylo hides a laugh on soaked red hair. 

Hux's hands breach the foam before the rest of his arms show up. The foam clings to the fingers and slide slowly, revealing the shiny coppery skin Kylo has dreamed about many times. Hux straights his posture, back peeling away from Kylo's chest with a wet noise. He brings his fingers closer to his face, flexes and moves them, trying to see if they really belonged to him. They do. 

He cups the water and lets it slide between his fingers and wash the remnants of foam and oxidation away. He touches each fingertip, slides his pearly nails down the creases of his palms. Slowly he turns to look at Kylo, excited but uncertain, hands held up like they were jewels on an exposition. 

"They are lovely," says Kylo before Hux finds his own voice. "Keep them underwater until we rub the oil on your skin," he instructs. 

Hux gasps softly and plunges his arms back into the water. "Sorry," he murmurs, and brings his hands as close to the surface of the water as they could go. 

"Don't be," Kylo shushes him tenderly, "you didn't know. The concoction is working, that's good. Let me rub the rest of your body." 

Hux nods, most of his attention still focused on his submerged hands. Kylo watches him for a while, a smile spreads on his face unbidden. The knight grabs the sponge and starts to work a lather of foam over the general's chest and abdomen. He is thorough but gentle scrubbing the dull layer off the shiny skin. 

Kylo slides from his position on the edge of the tub and moves to the center, leaning Hux against the rim while doing so. He takes the spot between the Luaas' legs and kisses the soft inner part of his knee before starting to scrub. The sponge glides down the slope of Hux's calf and sensitive inner thighs, not quite reaching the crease between leg and groin. Kylo lowers the glistening copper colored leg and picks the other, giving it the same treatment. 

With each sweep of the sponge more of Hux's skin show, the texture of it as soft as Kylo is used to but a lot smoother. He runs his bare hands over the newly exposed skin with unrestrained adoration and joy. Hux is limp with pleasure, a satisfaction that stems from care and safety rather than the lust usually attributed to his intimate meetings with Kylo. 

"You should do the face yourself," Kylo suggests, bringing Hux's pliant body closer to his. Hux nods lazily, and splashes a handful of water on his face. He scrubs the foam on his high cheekbones and down the curve of his jawline, rinsing it with more of the briny water. He also rubs some of the foam on his neck and as soon as the coppery skin is revealed Kylo dives in to kiss it. 

It takes a lot of his willpower to back away from Hux but he does so because of the pressing need to see all of his general. He holds the Luaas at arm's length and stares, adoration coloring his cheeks pink. He rubs circles on the silky skin of Hux's arms and revels in the texture, oddly new while so familiar. Hux shivers. 

"Are you cold?" Kylo asks, concerned. 

"The water is still pretty warm," Hux says coyly, "but I do feel a little cold. The parts out of the tub at least." 

"Let's dry and go to the bedroom," Kylo suggests. "I will turn the air conditioning to a higher temperature while you soak a little more." 

He kisses Hux, innocent and short, and the general would be disappointed if he didn't know this is the only thing Ren could give him at that moment that wouldn't lead to full sex. Not that he doesn't want sex, he just wants to make it last. Hux sinks down into the water until only his face and the top of his shoulders are over the surface. Kylo leaves the tub with minimum sloshing which surprises Hux. The knight dries himself efficiently and wraps the wet towel around his waist before moving to the ensuite bedroom. 

Hux blows the little patches of foam still floating on the surface of the tub. The briny smell had became actually pleasant by now and he wonders if this is because of some different perception provided by his new skin or if he just got used to it. He tries to analyze what he feels: the water surrounding his body, the smooth porcelain under his legs, the whispers of foam against his skin. Nothing seems or feels particularly different, the colors and scents and sounds all seem the same. It is a tiny bit disappointing. 

Kylo comes back after a moment, he picks the second big towels from the rack and brings it with him to the edge of the tub. He beckons for Hux and the general stands up on loose legs, body still lax with the warmth of the bath and the massaging caresses of Kylo's. 

The knight wraps the big towel around his exquisite looking lover. Hux moans a bit, the soft texture feeling a thousand times more pleasant, each fluffy strand of the fabric caressing him gently. Kylo's big hands make quick work of patting Hux dry. The last part of the Luaas body to be revealed is his hair, once dried it shines like polished copper just like Kylo remembers. 

With a smile Kylo wraps the towel around Hux and picks him up bridal style, pressing him against his chest tenderly. They move into the bedroom where Kylo had prepared the second part of the process. The bed is covered in towels and there is a big jar of a spicy smelling oil by its side on the floor. Kylo deposits Hux in the bed and unwraps him like a gift. 

The temperature in room is higher than in the bathroom so Hux's skin doesn't get gooseflesh nor does he shiver at all. He lays there, expectations and nerves mixing with the trust he holds for Kylo and the pliability brought by the hot bath. With hooded eyes he watches as Kylo picks the jar and pour a generous serving of the oil on his hand. Kylo uses his clean hand to lift Hux's leg, gently holding it up by his slim ankle. He kisses it quickly and presses the high arch of his nose to the soft spot behind the bone. 

"You look gorgeous," he says, breathless. "All the pale, dead skin has been removed but your body will produce more of it soon. It is like oxidation." Hux nods slowly, presses his own leg tighter against Kylo's face. "I'll cover you in special oil, it will mitigate the process but don't worry, we can clean it off easily and return you to your usual looks in no time in the morning." 

"It smells good," is all Hux says, but he nods with a serious expression and takes a quick look at the clock, making sure they would have enough time for this. 

Kylo brings the oil cupped into his hand to the curve of Hux's calf and spread it down over his shin, ankle and foot. The texture of his skin delightful, especially under the sweet smelling oil. Kylo notices the distinct lack of hair on the General's leg, an aspect of the Luaas he hadn't noticed in Haamb Rgo. The Knight's hand slides easily over the shiny skin, the oil glistening under the pale fluorescent lights, making the color of Hux's skin even more pronounced. 

He pour more oil on his hand and works a lather on the slender thigh, caressing the sensitive inside and watching with no small amount of satisfaction as Hux shivers and moans slightly under his touch. He covers every inch of the long leg with utmost care before moving to the second limb. At some point Hux starts humming, something he rarely ever does. Kylo doesn't recognize the tune but it is calming, a welcome sort of white noise to accompany his task. 

When both legs are sealed with oil and protected from the atmosphere Kylo moves on to the arms. He loves Hux's hands and pays a lot of attention to them, rolling the slim finger between his own and spreading the oil over and under the pearly nails. He kisses the scars on the Luaas' wrist, an ugly fuschia pink on his true form instead of the reddish brown they usually appear to be. 

The humming turns into a soft purr when he finish both arms and hands.  

Hux's mind might be impenetrable by the Force but his body is still a physical object that Kylo can manipulate with his powers, so he props the General up without touching him. The knight moves around his lover and starts to spread a thick layer of oil on his back. He starts by the shoulder, kneading them with his big hands, loosening whatever tension still clung to them. He does the same to Hux's neck and ears, nibbling the lobe lovingly before covering it in oil. 

The oil slides poetically down the valley of Hux's spine, contouring the bumps of each vertebrae beautifully. 

Kylo spreads the oil down his flanks, fingers digging into the dips between his ribs. The skin feels warmer under Kylo's large palms, each sweep of his hands causing small moans to spill from Hux's lips. As the oil coats the expanse of the Luaas' back the prettier he looks, rich colors and accents playing under the cold lights. 

Hux's own oil covered hands touch Kylo's and bring them to his front, enlacing their fingers together over his still clean chest. Kylo scoots closer to him, pressing his bulkier frame against Hux's slight body, covering him fully. The oil tastes spicy on his lips as he kisses long lines down the General's neck. 

Kylo drips more of the oil over Hux's chest, their joined hands being covered on it on the process. Kylo's fingers slip from Hux's grasp and slide down his chest, thumbs pressing on perky nipples as they pass by. The Luaas moans more openly, his head falling against his lover's shoulder. 

"How does it feel?" Kylo asks, lips brushing Hux's ear softly. He slides an oil covered hand down the General's abdomen and grips the jutting hipbone to emphasize. Hux shivers full bodily. 

"Amazing," he says, voice low and wavering. His eyelids flutter and close, a pleases sigh quivering on his chest. "You feel so warm and soft... It feels like sun light, actual sun light not the ship's artificial shit." 

Kylo hums, pleased to hear such comparison - Hux had told him of his love for sun light long time ago. The Knight allows his hand to drift lower, fingers skimming the base of Hux's erection. "You look divine," he says, breathless. 

Hux moans almost painfully and arches his body sharply, bringing his hips closer to Kylo's hand. The Knight smiles, tender but hungrily, and runs slick fingertips down the flushed length of Hux's cock. The Luaas makes a tiny sound, happy like a little bird, and relaxes back into the curve of Kylo's body. 

"I feel every hair on your body," Hux says, "every breath you take skim over my skin like a summer breeze. Everything is amplified. Deeper." 

Kylo grinds his full erection against the slick small of Hux's back, pre come and sweat mingling with the thick oil. Hux whimpers, the silky texture of Kylo's cock a soft delight against his heated skin. The General usually appreciates a lot the hardness and heat of his lover's erection but it feels so much better that night, the coarse texture of the pubic hair in contrast to the smoothness of the cock itself. The ridges and bumps on it, which usually went almost unnoticed, now an exquisite experience. 

"Show me how much you feel," Kylo tells him, adjusting his grip on Hux's cock and applying actual pressure for the first time. Hux whimpers, delight and desperation lacing his voice. 

The General leans back onto Kylo's body, his hands finding some purchase on the Knight's toned thighs. Despite the oil on his hands Hux uses his nails to get a good grip on the taller man's leg and uses it as support to rock his body against the slick and tight ring of Kylo's hand. He thrusts with abandon, the intimacy and care of the whole evening fueling his passion. His back makes squelching little sounds against Kylo's chest as he presses and slides over the Knight's body. 

It could be the enhanced Luaas sensibility but most likely it isn't, but Hux comes with a deep, body wrecking shudder like Kylo had never seen. His cock pulses lively into Kylo's fist, his come landing on the towels under them before dripping over the Knight's knuckles and Hux's own legs. 

Despite his natural Force resistance, his orgasm is so strong it radiates like heat from the core of a star. The impact hits Kylo unexpectedly. The Knight's own pleasure feeds on this sudden influx of satisfaction, happiness and even adoration, and is triggered sooner than he expected. His come gets trapped between Hux's beautifully slicked back and his own abs and chest, making them ever messier. 

They remain silent as they gather their breath, Hux slowly relaxing further into Kylo's embrace. At last the Knight tries to displace his lover in order to get them cleaned but all he gets is a weak sound of protest and a tug which he allows to bring him down. They huff and make little sounds as they settle down on messy sheets and towels covered in oil, sweat and come. 

"Thank you," Hux says after a long while. Kylo notices that his eyelashes look like pure gold in that moment, fanning over his glossy high cheekbones. 

"I think I should be the one thanking," he replies with a sated smile. Hux rolls his eyes. 

"I mean it, Kylo," he insists. "Not only for today, but for everything. I'd most likely be dead by now if not for you. You saved me in Haamb Rgo, and you made sure nobody would know my secret since then. You have taken care of me, even knowing I'm just.. this thing..." 

He trails off as if uncertain about what to say next and Kylo frowns deeply. "You are not a thing, Brendol," he says, first name basis for extra emphasis. "You are a brilliant militar man, charismatic and fierce and loved by your troops. And you are my beautiful lover for whom I'd do anything." 

Hux doesn't allow many emotions to show on his face but in a split second there Kylo could see all of them on shiny green eyes and quivering lips. They don't kiss but press their faces together as if their lives depended on it, Kylo's nose buried on the hollow of Hux's cheek; the corner of their lips touching. They don't kiss but share breath like that is the only way of breathing they know. 

Morning finds them entangled there, faces still close together, legs and finger twined, sheets and towels wrapped around them. The tossing and turning of the night rubbed some of the oil off the General's skin, creating pale patches of verdigris over his beautiful shiny body. 

The General's true identity is a secret only two people on the universe know. The fact that most of those clean patches of skin over his body hold the exact shape of Kylo Ren's hand is another. 


End file.
